456: From Oregon to Norway: Abram Goldman-Armstrong's Cider Journey

This episode of Cider Chat, was recorded in person with Abram Goldman-Armstrong at CiderCon2025 in Chicago. Hear his journey to cider. From growing up in Oregon's Yamhill County to his current work in Norway's Hardanger region at Alde Sider.

Abram began fermenting cider as a student in Minnesota and went on to found the cidery known as Cider Riot in Portland, Oregon. His experience reflects both the evolution of the cider industry and the challenges of building a business grounded in values and community.

The Cider Riot Years

Cider Riot grew from a home cider making project into a well-regarded cider brand and pub. Abram describes building the business, navigating challenges like rising rent and market shifts, and the significance of Cider Riot as a political and cultural hub. The pub hosted community meetings, union organizers, and events that reflected Portland's activist spirit.

Standing Against Far-Right Violence

On May 1, 2019, Cider Riot became the site of a violent confrontation when members of the far-right group Patriot Prayer, led by Joey Gibson, clashed with patrons during a May Day celebration. The altercation resulted in injuries, including a woman being knocked unconscious. Abram filed a $1 million lawsuit against Gibson and others involved, alleging that they had instigated the attack. The incident drew national attention and highlighted the challenges faced by businesses taking a stand against hate groups.

Relocating to Norway

After Cider Riot closed in late 2019, Abram accepted an offer to collaborate with cider makers in Norway. He began working with a small brewery before moving west to Hardanger, where he now produces cider at Alde Sider. The region has a long history of apple growing and is the first in Norway to receive a protected designation for cider.

In this Cider Chat

• Early influences in Oregon: Working with Alan Foster of White Oak Cider, planting bittersweet varieties like Kingston Black.
• DIY beginnings: Making cider in college using apples from the dining hall and a cheese grater.
• Founding Cider Riot: From garage startup to a full-scale cidery and pub in Portland, Oregon.
• Pub culture & Portland community: Supporting labor organizing, queer and trans spaces, and anti-fascist events.
• Financial challenges: Draft-focused sales model, missed retail opportunities, and the impact of hard seltzers.
• Closure of Cider Riot: Reflections on its cultural significance and decision to shut down in 2019.
• Move to Norway: Invited to launch a cider program with a brewery in Sandefjord, leading to Tall Ship Cider.
• Transition to Alde Sider: Current role as lead cider maker in Hardanger, Norway's key cider region.
• Hardanger cider traditions: Protected cider designation and historic use of apples like Gravenstein and Discovery.
• Production methods at Alde:
  • Use of Nottingham ale yeast
  • Chaptalization with Danish beet sugar
  • High-acid juice (~pH 3.1–3.2)
  • Residual sweetness target of 1.003 SG
  • Crossflow filtration to halt fermentation
• Barrel aging program: Experiments with French agricole rum and Norwegian whiskey barrels.
• Community cider scene: Five producers in the village of Nå, collaboration across the fjord, and cider tourism via fjord boat.
• Cultural observations: Comparing pub cultures, lifestyle differences between Norway and Portland.
• Low-ABV cider innovation: Creating a 4.7% cider for draft sales in collaboration with 7 Fjell Brewery.
• Use of wild yeast: Petnat-style experiment using orchard yeast and natural inoculation.
• Future plans: Continuing to explore cider styles in Norway, working with bittersweets, and developing new blends.

Contact Info Abram

• Website: https://www.aldesider.no

Mentions in this Cider Chat

• 317: How a "Cyder" Teapot fueled the American Revolution
• Stone Ridge Orchard Wassail May 3rd & 4th – tickets https://www.clover.com/online-ordering/Event-Tickets
• Episode: 450th Roger Wilkins – The Cider King